The preferred embodiments of the present invention generally relate to electrical connectors with one or more terminal and connector position assurance features. More particularly, a connector position assurance device (CPA) is provided affording a low vertical profile and a terminal position assurance device (TPA) is provided including integral keying features.
A CPA functions to assure an operator that the matable connector halves have been mated which is particularly advantageous on an assembly line where the operator must make connections quickly and be certain that electrical connections are, in fact, mated. It is desirable that the CPA be compact in size and eliminate the risk of inadvertent separation of the connector halves by separately preventing deflection of any latches used to maintain the mated condition.
In many applications, several connectors (including plugs and associated headers) may be routed to a common area, such as on a vehicle. All of the connectors are connected when the vehicle reaches a designated point along an assembly line. In certain instances, a need has arisen for assembly line personnel to be able to distinguish between connectors to ensure that each plug is inserted into an associated and correct header. In the past, assembly line personnel have experienced difficulties in discriminating each plug and the associated header from other plugs and headers.
Many conventional connector configurations have been proposed, such as for plug-header assemblies for wire-to-wire connections, plug-header assemblies for wire-to-printed circuit board connections (such as in board applications), and plug-device assemblies (such as sensors and the like). Hereafter the terms plug and cap shall be used to refer generically to any and all connector applications, including, but not limited to, wire to wire, PCB to wire, plug to device, and the like. Some conventional connectors include connector position assurance systems, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,153; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,003. The ""003 patent and the ""153 patent, as in conventional CPA systems, include a plug housing with a latch formed thereon. The latch slidably receives a CPA which is mounted to the plug housing and is operable to assure that a further matable connection is fully mated to the housing before the CPA may be moved to its engaged position.
However, conventional CPA and latch assemblies require a CPA carriage structure formed on top of the latch assembly, or visa versa. Typically, latches are formed to be moved toward and away from the plug housing, and thus the CPA is mounted above or below the latch to block such vertical motion. Stacking the CPA and latch upon one another unduly increases the overall envelope of the connector. With increasing demands being placed on miniaturization of connectors, a need exists to continue to further reduce the outer envelope of the connector device.
In assembly line applications, it is desirable to facilitate the visual inspection by an assembly line person of a plurality of connector devices. Conventional CPA shrouds are configured to direct the CPA inward into the CPA shroud assembly whereby the CPA shroud hides a substantial majority of the CPA structure. Consequently, during an assembly line application, it is difficult to visually determine whether a CPA has been fully engaged, and thus it is difficult to visually determine whether a plug and cap are properly fully mated.
In addition, in assembly line applications, it is desirable to ensure that the assembly line person insert the plug and cap housings in proper orientation with respect to one another. Conventional connectors have been proposed with keying features that ensure proper orientation between the plug and cap housings before permitting full mating engagement therebetween. However, such conventional keying features are provided on the plug and cap housings, thereby increasing the overall envelope of the connector device. A need exists to reduce the envelope of the connector device while ensuring that the plug and cap housings may be fully mated only when properly aligned.
Conventional connectors have been proposed that include terminal position assurance devices (TPA) which are received within the plug housing and engaged to the connector contacts. TPAs ensure that connector wires are properly and fully mated within a plug housing before permitting the TPA from being moved to an engaged position. In the past, TPAs (also referred to as wedges) when provided to a manufacturer of a connector device are delivered entirely separate from the plug and cap housings. The TPAs (or wedges) are inserted into the plug and cap housings immediately before insertion of the contacts and wires. A need exists for an improved TPA that may be assembled with a plug and cap housing separate and apart from insertion of the contacts and wires.
A need remains for improved CPA and TPA features for connector assemblies that overcome the problems discussed above. The preferred embodiments of the present invention described below address the above discussed needs and other disadvantages of conventional connector devices that will become readily apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.
An electrical connector housing assembly is provided that includes a connector position assurance device (CPA) having a reduced overall envelope. The housing assembly includes a plug housing and a cap housing, each of which have top, bottom and side walls defining a mating interface therebetween. One of the plug and cap housings are formed with a deflectable latch formed thereon, while the other of the plug and cap housings are formed with a CPA carriage or retainer. A CPA is retained within the CPA carriage structure and is moveable relative to the carriage structure between an initial disengaged position and a final engaged position indicating that the plug and cap housings have been properly mated with one another.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, an electrical connector housing assembly is provided having plug and cap housings with top, bottom and side walls defining a mating interface therebetween. The plug and cap housings each receive terminal position assurance devices (TPAs). Plug and cap TPAs are formed integrally with keying features, such as a keying post and keying opening that ensure proper orientation between the plug and cap assemblies before permitting mating. The keying features on the plug and cap TPAs may be varied between plugs and caps in a single application to uniquely identify which cap is to be associated with each plug. By including keying features on the TPAs, the overall envelope of the connector housing assembly is reduced while offering the advantages of a keying configuration.
In at least one alternative embodiment, the CPA retaining structure includes a pair of guide rails aligned parallel to one another and mounted on a top wall of the cap housing. The guide rails include juxtaposed channels cut therein and defining a guide way that slidably receives flanges along opposite sides of a CPA. The CPA is moveable within the guide way between an initial position at which the CPA is substantially enclosed within the guide rails and a final engaged position at which the CPA partially projects from the guide rails to facilitate visual inspection of the CPA""s present state. The plug and cap assemblies may be mated with one another even when the CPA is initially, prematurely placed in its final position since the CPA is permitted to be deflected slightly in the guide ways under a biasing force outward away from the cap housing as the latch member is moved to its engaged position.